Allegiance
by NCISVILLE
Summary: Who is Grant Ward? Is he an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D or is he Garrett's Hydra sleeper? Who does he choose to be loyal to? The girl of his dreams or his father figure? (Set during Providence)


**This is a one shot I found in one of my notebooks. It takes place sometime during the episode Providence. **

**Allegiance**

Ward lay awake on his cot, Garrett soundly asleep beside him in the base, wondering who he was. Was he Grant Ward, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D? Or was he Grant Ward, Garrett's Hydra Sleeper and traitor of S.H.I.E.L.D? He didn't know who he was anymore. Not since Skye called and said that he'd been erased from the system. No one would ever be able to trust him again, not after everything he'd done. And yet, when he though of disappointing his newly acquired friends the only pained face he saw that hurt him was Skye's. He tried to ignore it and think of something else, but Skye's betrayed face plagued him. He looked beside him at Garrett. He owed him everything. Garrett had taken him in and raised him, trained him, taught him everything he knew, but Skye…when he was with her as Grant Ward, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, he was who he wanted to be. With her he felt good enough. Garrett was right; the heart wants what it wants and his heart screamed to be loved by Skye. Only…Skye had almost died because of his allegiance to the man he called his father. But could he leave his father for something his heart yearned for? Unable to put his thoughts to rest he silently rose and grabbed his cell. Before leaving the room he looked back to ensure his father figure was still asleep and made his way over to the one place he knew was secure to make a call he didn't want overheard by anyone. He pressed one on his phone and speed-dialed his point of contact.

"Hello?" Answered a groggy, sleep filled voice.

"Hi." He responded.

"Ward?" Her voice seemed to come alive and all sleepiness dissipated from her voice. "You know it's nearly three in the morning, right?"

"I know. I just…I needed to talk to you." He explained on edge.

"Are you okay Ward?" She asked concerned.

"Can you call me Grant please? And I don't know how I'm doing."

"Okay then…Grant." He could hear the smile in her voice and he couldn't help but crack a smile as well.

"I need you to answer my question honestly."

"Okay. I can do that."

"If you were forced to choose between your father figure and the person you were beginning to fall for, who would you choose?"

Skye didn't understand the context behind his question, but the conflict and desperation in his voice told her he was troubled. "Depends."

"On what?"

"The circumstances." She replied.

"Okay, well hypothetically let's say this father figure rescued this kid from a hostile environment as a teenager and brought him up, but what he stands for and believes is controversial to the girl he's falling for.. And he feels like he's two separate people around them. But when he's with her she makes him feel whole and he's the man he's always aspired to be. The only problem is he has to choose one or the other. Betray the man he owes everything to, or choose the girl that transforms him and makes his heart flutter. Who would you choose Skye?" After a few moments of silence and no reply he called her name again. "Skye?"

"I'd choose the girl. No one should stay stuck living in the past or they'll never be able to move on and live their own life. Besides, it sounds like being with the girl is healthier for him than trying to conform to someone else just because he thinks he owes this father figure everything. A true father wouldn't force his son to conform to the father's path and ways of thinking. He'd let the son carve out his own path." She answered thoughtfully.

Grant sighed in relief. He felt as though a weight had been lifted off his chest. He finally had something to base his decision off of. "Thank you."

"Grant, am I the girl?" She asked hopeful.

"Yes."

"Grant?"

"Yes Skye?"

"You've been with Hydra, haven't you? You didn't lock Garrett up." She said softly.

"I've felt so lost for so long, not knowing who I really am and I can't take it anymore Skye. I didn't know he was going to have someone shoot you, I didn't. And the thought of you dying…I felt as though the only part of me I actually liked was dying with you. If you had never come along I wouldn't be questioning my allegiance now, but I choose you Skye. Because when I'm with you I'm the man I want to be. I'm falling so hard for you and I don't want to stop. I don't want to be someone you cross paths with and look at feeling betrayed because it hurts me just thinking about you being disappointed in me. Thinking of that, it's what made me question my entire being. I wasn't trained to feel this way. Who am I Skye?" He said feeling the weight of his identity crisis on his heart. "Am I an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D or am I Garrett's Hydra Sleeper?" He asked desperately. "Skye, I need you to tell me who I am!"

"You're mine." She said softly. "You're Grant Ward, my brave and courageous S.O who owes me a drink. You're my friend. You're loyal and you're such a softie underneath your robot exterior. You know right from wrong. You don't let other people define you. You're mine. But who you choose to be is entirely up to you. I'm not going to tell you who to choose Grant. But if you choose him I have to tell Coulson and I won't be able to get that drink with you." Skye said so quietly and gently. There was only affection in her voice and he longed to be able to just hold her.

Grant Ward was silent as he finally began to mourn the loss he was going to suffer. "What happens if I leave now?" He asked.

"I tell you where I am and you come here so we can have that drink together." She replied with a smile. "But maybe once it gets later on in the day."

"What about Coulson?"

"I don't tell him. You come clean and I protect you just like you did for me against Victoria Hand."

"Skye…I killed her for him. I tell anyone that and I'll be locked up. I'd never even get to see you again." He said ashamed and regretting his decision.

He heard the sharp intake of her breath. "Then it becomes our secret. It'll be buried with us. You say Hydra killed her at the Fridge. You tell them what they need to hear." Skye spoke not wanting him to be thrown in prison.

"Hey, Skye?" He said.

"Yeah?"

"I love you." Grant confessed, his heart melting at the lengths she was willing to go through for him.

"I love you too Robot. Now get out of there and come see me. Head for Quebec Canada and in a couple hours I'll send you the location. Be careful Grant." She said before hanging up.

Ward slipped the phone into his pocket and snuck back to his cot. He grabbed his backpack and looked at the man still asleep. He didn't have the heart to kill him but he also knew Garrett was dangerous. Ward slipped a tracker in Garrett's sat phone and stood up taking one last look at him. With a deep breath he turned his back on Garrett and made his way up to the car and towards his new life path that Skye was willing to walk with him hand in hand. His allegiance was to her now and she was with S.H.I.E.L.D and that's where he would remain helping to fight Hydra.

**The End**

**So reviews would be very much appreciated. Thanks guys!**


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